Does anyone buy that Rivera is debating what to do with Luke?

[Omega Atrocity]

Fun question to distract from the Luke injury talk. If he doesn't play again is he still a 1st team all pro? I struggle to find someone to put ahead of him.

[Jangler]

12 minutes ago, TheRed said:

Cam has taken an absolute beating this year, and plenty of shots to the head, but we aren't wrapping him in bubble wrap.

If Luke is cleared, and he wants to play, let him play.

I guess taking black/ white only works for you....  Is Klein better than Anderson? Can this team win with Anderson and  beat the fallcons?

[CRA]

8 minutes ago, TheRed said:

Cam has taken an absolute beating this year, and plenty of shots to the head, but we aren't wrapping him in bubble wrap.

If Luke is cleared, and he wants to play, let him play.

and that is why I changed my mind.  How can a coach look someone like Cam in the eye at a certain point.  That is why I think Ron is being influenced elsewhere.  People hate on Ron but Ron is old school.

[TheRed]

16 minutes ago, Jangler said:

I guess taking black/ white only works for you....  Is Klein better than Anderson? Can this team win with Anderson and  beat the fallcons?

Huh?

I'm not going to bother comparing positions, I'm talking about player health.

At this point I would have to say it is a real stretch to think Cam has only had one concussion this season. But we're still trotting him out there, and with various other injuries he's played through.

If the Panthers decide to sit Luke, fine, I'm not going to be upset either way. I just don't subscribe to this save him from himself mindset. If a guy is healthy, and he wants to be out there with his teammates, let him. You cant control everything that happens. That's all I'm saying 

[Jangler]

Right. So the question becomes...can the Panthers win without Cam?

 

#cheapsuit

[TheRed]

1 minute ago, Jangler said:

Right. So the question becomes...can the Panthers win without Cam?

 

#cheapsuit

We couldn't even beat the Bucs at home without Cam Newton.

I think that answer is fairly obvious.

[CatMan72]

I'd hope that if Ron was actually planning to sit him for the rest of the season he would have told Luke by now instead of stringing him along like this and getting his (and our) hopes up each week. This has become a story with the press calling for Ron to sit Luke, so if the plan was to sit Luke they could immediately kill the story this has become by making the announcement. For this reason alone, I don't think there is a plan to sit Luke for the rest of the season. Ron clearly doesn't like answering questions about it, so why would he prolong his own suffering? 

[CosmoGirl]

11 hours ago, iamhubby1 said:

I hear folks saying that once he is cleared, he is going to be fine. Is this a fact? Or is this just folks wishful thinking? Cuz there is a difference. If you can tell me he is just as safe playing this week, as he would be waiting until next year. Then fine. Let him play.

We have invested a poo ton of money, and resources into Luke. We are in uncharted water here. We are dealing with a potential HOF career, and a hell of a human being. Don't we owe it to everyone involved, to err on the side of caution on this one?

Especially as we are going nowhere, and have nothing to prove.

 

Each concussion makes it easier to have another and the time between them makes a difference as well. So I'd say sit him the rest of the year, but not IR him just in case miracle of miracles happen and the stars align for us to make the playoffs. :)

[Cpt slay a ho]

That is the problem. Playing him after a 20 day window doesn't necessarily.pose more risk for another concussion than waiting for another 6 months for training camp.  It is more about how many opportunities will it take before he has another one. Maybe he won't have more or maybe the very next time. If he is cleared to play I would imagine he isn't at high risk to have another one or they wouldn't clear him. Look at Oher.

Nail meets hammer on this post, we could very well rest him the remainder of the season and come training camp next year the same thing could happen to him. There's just not many prevention methods for that type of injury, especially in the position and style of play for him, he's in or literally every tackle, every play, just a hard decision all around


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[iamhubby1]

9 hours ago, CRA said:

I think there are hypocritical elements at play if you shut him down.   Cam is head hunted every game and playing hurt...and while I think Luke is better than Cam, I would argue Cam is slightly more valuable to the team.

I am not thinking just short term.  I don't see how long term shutting Luke down really means anything other than he won't be at risk of getting hurt the next two weeks if you shut him down.   It isn't going to impact any risks next season.

We have guys on the team who have already been in the protocol twice THIS season.  Now, they aren't Luke.  But they still are going to play and we have studs like Cam risking themselves to the standard anything can happen on any play element in meaningless games.   Cam is a HOF talent too.

If Luke ever gets another concussion on the football field it won't be anyone's fault.  It will be shitty luck...and there ain't nothing you can do about that.  Ask Thomas Davis.   I guess we could of held him out longer after some of those knee injuries.  Doesn't mean that would have mattered.

 

I don't recall anyone on the team having multiple concussions this year?

 

My only concern is the fact that  no one can tell me that playing this week is just as safe as waiting for next year. We would all be heart broken if Luke plays these last two games, and gets another concussion. Does that prove that waiting is the right decision? No. But why take that chance?

 

We are in uncharted water, with a potential HOF talent, coming off two concussions within almost a year, and we have invested a poo ton of resources into him. IMO, it is prudent for Luke's long term health to sit him. Instead of a month to recover. He will get almost 10 months to recover is we sit him.

 

I am in the sit him camp. You are not. Think either of us is going to change their mind? Me either.

 

If you can prove that playing this week is safe. Let him play. If you have even 1 small sliver of doubt? You don't play him.

[iamhubby1]

6 hours ago, CosmoGirl said:

Each concussion makes it easier to have another and the time between them makes a difference as well. So I'd say sit him the rest of the year, but not IR him just in case miracle of miracles happen and the stars align for us to make the playoffs. :)

 

Please don't hold your breath for a Playoff spot. Santa ain't bringing us that for Christmas. Bad Santa. lol

 

I think that is the biggest point in all this. No one can definitively say that playing now is safe, or whether sitting will make a difference. So with the lack of information, the speculation will run rampant.

 

Some fans want Luke on the field, and will worry about his health if it comes up. Some fans are worried about his health now, and want to sit him til next year. Going to be interesting as this moves forward.

 

I would like to add. What if this was a bubble player. Would people want him to play, just because he is fighting for a spot? Or would they let him sit, and come back next year ready to fight for his job? If this was Cam coming back, would folks want him playing?

 

This issue could get interesting.

 

 

[beastson]

I just think the Panthers really want to beat the Falcons

[top dawg]

Cam doesn't believe Luke should risk it.

 

"Luke is a person that could potentially be the greatest linebacker that has ever played — straight up," Newton told reporters Thursday. "I don't think, for me, I would want to jeopardize that for a long, long-term issue just to bring him back."

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/luke-kuechly-concussion-injury-update-cam-newton-panthers/pfx0hvyter0a10f67y4njjhqf